8.11 Describe the significance of and the leaders of the First Great Awakening, and the growth in religious toleration and free exercise of religion.

Write 3-5 sentences describing what you see/think is happening in this picture.

• Read page 121-122 in your text.
• Your purpose in reading is to determine what the
Great Awakening was, who were the important people and why did it happen.
• Take notes so that you can answer those questions.

Before the Great Awakening
• Before the 1730s, most colonies had two established religions.
• Congregationalism was the largest religion in New England (Puritans and other dissidents who broke away from the Church of England).
• Anglicanism was the largest religion in
New York and the Southern colonies (same as the Church of England).
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
As the colonies became more successful, people felt as if they had lost their faith

Was a large motivation for founding the colonies

Sparked a religious revival known as the Great
Awakening

A revival of religious feeling in the American colonies during the 1730’s and 40’s

What was the Great Awakening?
George Whitefield preaching
• Religious revival movement
• Evangelicism –
“new birth” considered the ultimate religious experience
• Followers accepted that they were sinners and asked for salvation
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Old Lights vs. New Lights
• Churches that grew as a result of the Great
Awakening: Presbyterianism, Methodism,
Baptism (New Lights)
• Great Awakening challenged authority and hierarchy of established churches (Old
Lights: Congregationalists and Anglicans)
• Great Awakening said that anybody could be converted and born again. You didn ’t need traditional church leadership to decide whether or not you belonged.
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George Whitefield
Jonathan Edwards

• Weakened the status of “old-fashioned” churches
• Encouraged people to use their own judgment and help others
• Introduced the ideas of equality and the right to challenge authority
• People began to feel confident in their own thoughts and decisions
• Helped contribute to colonists desire for independence and the
American Revolution

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vKGU3aEG ss
• 8:43

Encouraged people to use their own judgment
Introduced ideas of equality and challenging authority
Weakened
“oldfashioned” churches First Great
Awakening-
A revival of religious feeling in the American colonies during the
1730’s and 40’s
Contributed to desire for colonial independence

• Read p. 122-123
• Examine the chart at the top of the page.
• Think/Ink/Share-answer the questions about the chart.

• Finish 123
• How did Locke and Montesquieu impact the development of our current government?

• Along with religious change, the
Enlightenment introduced changes to scientific understanding
• An intellectual movement that stressed:
• Power of reason
• The importance of science for finding the paths to knowledge
• Colonists were now open to new scientific ideas

• Ben Franklin = “Mr. Enlightenment”
• Worked constantly on inventions and on improving society
• Libraries, fire company, Franklin stove, lightning rod, bifocals,
University of Pennsylvania, etc.
• John Locke = Natural Rights
• Did not believe kings had a God-given right to rule
• People automatically have certain rights (life, liberty, property)
• To protect those rights, people created governments
• Government exists to protect the people
• Led colonists to wonder whether the British government protected their rights and freedoms

People automatically have certain rights (life, liberty, property)
Enlightenmentintroduced changes to scientific understanding
Government exists to protect people
John Locke =
Natural
Rights
Led colonists to wonder whether they were being protected